The Victorian Government's budget for 2025-2026 is touted as focusing on cost of living and community safety, but without meaningful investment in climate adaptation, costs for Victorians (both economic and physical) will remain high.
Although climate impacts are here now and Victorian communities are already battling escalating extreme weather such as bushfires, heatwaves, and floods, the state budget has almost completely ignored these climate risks.
"Climate impacts are impeding Victorians' way of life, increasing cost of living, making summer holidays chaotic and anxiety-inducing, and hindering the ability of many to do their job safely and optimally. Food supply, health (mental and physical), source of income, cost of living, access to healthcare, housing, transportation, and recreational activities are all at risk," said Act on Climate community organiser, Vicky Ellmore.
Aside from minimal spending to expand the Solar Homes program and insulation upgrades, which will provide increased energy security, and some funding for emergency services, there is no investment in climate adaptation. Victorians need to be, and want to be, protected from climate impacts. And, it is an obligation for the Victorian Government in the Climate Change Act (2017) to implement the state's climate strategy and adaptation action plans.
Communities have been feeling abandoned by the Government and there has been a united appeal for increased funding of climate adaptation. Over 80% of submissions to the Victorian Government's Inquiry into Climate Resilience called for more funding for climate adaptation. This budget has completely ignored Victorians' calls.
Will the Victorian Government redeem itself by implementing the recommendations from its Inquiry into Climate Resilience? Due to be made public at the end of June, this Inquiry is vital to ensuring Victorians are kept safe from unavoidable climate impacts.. Act on Climate hopes that the Government will act on Victorian's pleas for leadership and support in the face of climate impacts, and provide adequate and ongoing funding for climate adaptation following the release of the the Inquiry's recommendations.
"The Government has its answer, Victorians need and want more funding for climate adaptation. Ignoring this will only make the problem bigger and harder to deal with. We need to see substantial investment in climate adaptation now, specifically adaptation that is led by the community, and takes into account the root causes of climate change, so that we can keep everyone in Victoria safe," said India Rowles, community organiser in the Act on Climate collective.
This budget will deliver a surplus to Victoria, and we should use this to invest in climate adaptation now, to save money later. Victoria is one of the most vulnerable states in the world - it is in the top 5% of highest risk states globally, according to the Cross Dependency Initiative's (XDI) Gross Domestic Climate Risk. This analysis also identified a 74% increase in damage to property in Victoria from 1990 to 2050.
It's imperative that the Government invests in transformative climate adaptation initiatives now, to save money, property, and lives. A $1 investment in climate adaptation or disaster risk reduction has been estimated to save between $2 and $11 in post-disaster recovery and reconstruction costs. Prioritising climate adaptation is a form of cost of living relief, and community safety.
This budget claims to back Victorians now and in the future with a focus on hope and safety, but ignoring the increasing severity and frequency of climate impacts, and our lack of preparedness as a state to respond to them, does not protect Victorians. The Government has an opportunity to stand by Victorians and deliver meaningful investment in their safety and prosperity by implementing in full the recommendations from the Inquiry into Climate Resilience. Doing so will signal to the community that it is taking their concerns seriously, and responding appropriately to climate impacts.
Investment in climate adaptation needs to be adequate, ongoing, and focus on community-led solutions. Communities know what they need in order to adapt, and have local knowledge, skills and connections, meaning maladaptation is less likely to occur.
To build just resilience to climate impacts, we need to invest in adaptation initiatives that are community-led and put the needs of those most at risk at the forefront. That's why Act on Climate is calling on the Government to create a Victorian Community Climate Adaptation Fund. This would allow communities to apply for funding to implement their adaptation solutions, keeping everyone in their community safe. We urge the Victorian Government to provide funding for these initiatives and help resource communities that are already experiencing climate impacts.
